ORNL is proud of its role in fostering the next generation of scientists and engineers. We bring in talented young researchers, team them with accomplished staff members, and put them to work at the lab’s one-of-a-kind facilities. The result is research that makes us proud and prepares them for distinguished careers.
We asked some of these young researchers why they chose a career in science, what they are working on at ORNL, and where they would like to
Emily Costa
Graduate student, Computing and Computational Sciences Directorate
Ph.D. Student, Computer Engineering, Northeastern University
Hometown: Sarasota, Florida
What are you working on at ORNL?
My work analyzes the expected performance of BERT, a transformer-based machine learning technique for natural language processing pretraining, on Frontier, the soon-to-be first exascale supercomputer. This enables the CANDLE project to train deep learning models that accurately classify and analyze pathology reports on Frontier for the Exascale Computing Project in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute.
What would you like to do in your career?
Later in my career, I want to return to ORNL as a full-time staff scientist. I have always been amazed by the level of scientific progress and resources driven by ORNL. Also, every employee I interact with at the facility is incredible.
Why did you choose a career in science?
I chose a career in science because it simply felt instinctive to me. I love delving into methods and frameworks of thinking. I love the challenge of adding to humanity’s knowledge and exploration.
